Saruman
, Saruman, formerly known as Saruman the White or Saruman the Wise, was one of the Istari, the Wizards sent to Middle-earth by the Valar to guide the Free Peoples against any potential return of Sauron. However, his fascination with Sauron and his devices, as well as his own pride, lust for power and a more prominent role led to him falling under the Dark Lord's sway. Saruman bred Orcs and Uruk-hai to wage war against the people of Rohan and claim their lands for his lord and sent ruffians spy on Eriador and learn of all affairs there. His faithfulness to Sauron and pride were obvious from how he stylized himself as "Sauron's puppet" and as "Saruman of Many Colors". History Years of the Lamps Saruman was originally a Maia of Aulë the Smith - just as Sauron had once been - named Curumo, meaning "skillful one", or Curunír by the elves in Sindarin. In Valinor, the land of the Valar, a council was called by Manwë, leader of the Valar, shortly after Sauron's defeat by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Though Sauron was overthrown, it would later turn out that he had not been effectively vanquished and his shadow began to fall upon Middle-earth a second time. It was decided to send five emissaries to Middle-earth. These should be "mighty, peers of Sauron, yet forgo might, and clothe themselves in flesh," as they were intended to help Men and Elves unite against Sauron, but the wizards were forbidden from matching the Dark Lord in power and fear. The other four who were chosen were Olórin (Gandalf), Aiwendil (Radagast), and Alatarand Pallando (the Blue Wizards). Curumo was appointed overall leader of the group. The Third Age Arrival in Middle-earth The five wizards arrived at the Grey Havens in the west of Eriador around the year 1000. Only the keeper of the havens, Círdan the Shipwright, knew Saruman's identity and origin. Saruman would later discover that Círdan had given Narya, the Red Ring, to Gandalf upon their first landing in Middle-earth. Even though Saruman was immediately considered the head of the order while Gandalf was not, Círdan had divined Gandalf as the wisest and greatest of the wizards. Saruman's jealousy of Gandalf grew from these events, perhaps because he feared that he would eventually supplant him as chief of wizards. Despite being openly opposed to the Dark Lord's return, Saruman had been dabbling into forbidden knowledge of Sauron and his devices, becoming fascinated by them. Though by this time he hadn't conceived the idea of joining with Sauron, Saruman held respect for him as he had become a Power in his own right, one to truly behold. Gandalf noticed however his peer's fascination, and counselled against it, as many had fallen under the Dark Lord's sway this way. At Gandalf's advice, Saruman and the two Blue Wizards went into the east of Middle-earth, hoping to convince the Southrons (Haradrim) and Easterlings to abandon their ways. Their devotion and worship of Sauron impressed Saruman, who participated in their rituals, disguised as a hooded old beggar, and noted their cultist ways in his journal. After one and a half millennia, he returned to the west alone, just as Sauron's power was growing again in Dol Guldur. The formation of the White Council When the White Council was formed at approximately year 2463 of the Third Age in order to counter Sauron, Saruman was appointed its leader, though Galadriel wanted Gandalf in this position. Saruman refused to step down due to his pride, while Gandalf had declined. At this point Saruman had begun to sense the resurgence of Sauron and to envy and desire his power, and especially the One Ring. This was also the same year that the One Ring was taken by the Halfling Sméagol (later called Gollum), who disappeared with it into the Misty Mountains for hundreds of years. It was during the meetings of the Council that Saruman first noted Gandalf's interest in Hobbits and The Shire, and believing that all his deeds related to some as yet undisclosed plan of his for self-enhancement, Saruman himself began keeping a greater watch on Gandalf. He himself visited it secretly on several occasions, but stopped when he realized that its inhabitants had noticed him. Amongst the purposes of his visits was to procure some of the halflings' Pipe-weed, since in secret imitation of Gandalf he had begun to smoke. Lord of Isengard In the year TA 2759, Saruman settled in Isengard with the permission of the Steward of Gondor, Beren, although he settled only as Warden of the Tower and representative of the Steward (the stronghold had by then been abandoned by Gondor). There he became important in the informal alliance defending the west of Middle-earth. In the tower of Isengard, Orthanc, he also found one of the remaining Palantíri, which he began to secretly use it so as to see Sauron's growing power. In TA 2850, Gandalf entered Dol Guldur and confirmed that the evil presence was indeed Sauron. By Saruman's advice, the White Council decided against attacking Dol Guldur. Gandalf would later remark that it was at this council meeting that he first began to suspect that Saruman had conceived the idea of joining with Sauron. Indeed, his deep studies of Sauron's devices, his lust for power, pride and desire for a more prominent role convinced Saruman that only the rising Power would help him achieve his goals. Noting Gandalf's increased watch over him, in TA 2941, Saruman finally agreed to attack Dol Guldur, against his better judgement. The attack was successful, and by the power of Lady Galadriel, Sauron was driven from the fortress, much to Saruman's own dismay. Three years after Sauron abandoned Dol Guldur, he returned to Mordor and prepared for his war to conquer all of Middle-earth. Soon after the Ringwraiths captured Minas Ithil, now known as the Witch-king of Angmar's foul domain of Minas Morgul, and captured one of the Palantír, Saruman used his own Seeing Stone to establish contact with Sauron. Noting his willingness, Sauron welcomed him at his side, promising him a rich reward for his service. For years to come, Saruman kept his allegiance to Sauron secret, using his position on the White Council to keep a closer watch over Gandalf the Grey. Under his lord's guidance, he began to breed his own Orcs and allied himself with tribes of Wild Men from Dunland, while also recruiting the likes of Bill Ferny and a squint-eyed southerner as spies in Bree-land. Using vast connections, Saruman learned of all affairs in Eriador, most importantly in the Shire, as he suspected Gandalf was hiding something from his prying eyes. He also had Orcs search the river Anduin for the One Ring and it was by this means that both he and his lord Sauron were able to retrieve Isildur's body and learn more of the Ring's fate. Soon after the Ringwraiths left in pursuit of the Ring, Gandalf came to Isengard to present the head of the Istari with the discovery and the location of the One Ring. It was then that Saruman revealed his allegiance to Sauron. He had also shed the title of Saruman the White; Saruman no longer had any loyalty to the White Council, or the Ring-bearer, only to the Dark Lord Sauron himself. He tried unsuccessfully to gain Gandalf to their side, but when Gandalf refused to join with them, Saruman held him captive in Isengard, in an effort to break him and learn where the One Ring was and who possessed it. Gandalf later escaped with help from Gwaihir the Windlord, one of Middle-earth's Great Eagles, and made Saruman's treachery known to the rest of the White Council. As Sauron himself had desired, this revelation caused concern for the White Council and the leaders of the Free Peoples. "Puppet" of Sauron Due to Gandalf's escape, Sauron's hand was forced too soon and so was that of his puppet, Saruman. The wizard had his Orcs build wooden machinery (mills, wheels, forges, furnaces), cut down the trees in the green gardens of Isengard and breed Uruk-hai in vats. With an army and various agents in his service, Saruman put all efforts into capturing the hobbits carrying the One Ring and weakening the kingdom of Rohan. He sends Crebain to spy the Fellowship of the Ring and recruits Wormtongue to his side, to poison the mind of the Théoden King. One party of Orcs and Uruk-hai from Isengard, joined by goblins from Moria and Orcs from Mordor captured the hobbits Pippin and Merry and shot Boromir "with many black-feathered arrows" when he tried to defend them. This led Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli on a search which eventually led to the Battle of Helms Deep as well as the Destruction of Isengard by the Ents under Treebeard, leading to the end of Sauron's campaign in the West and the defeat of his puppet Saruman. Power Shattered Following the Ents' destruction of Isengard, Saruman found himself confined to Orthanc. his servants scattered or killed and any way of further aiding his lord Sauron's victory over. After the arrival of Théoden, Gandalf, Aragorn, and the remaining members of the Fellowship, Saruman made one final unsuccessful attempt to break Théoden and Gandalf, for despite his apparent defeat, his lord's will was able to strengthen his resolve. The latter then offered Saruman a chance for redemption, which involved surrendering his staff and the Keys of Orthanc as a pledge. Though for a moment he considered it, his pride, lust for power, his hate of Gandalf and his newfound loyalty to his lord, Sauron, as well as his fear of him won the the better of him and he refused. He then talks of Gandalf as a man willing to sacrifice those "close to him" and dismisses Aragorn's claim to the throne of Gondor. Théoden calls Gríma down, seeing that his former counselor had been manipulated by the wizard as he himself was, and urges him to free himself. Saruman denies Wormtongue his claim for freedom, but Gríma stabs him two times in the back at the pinnacle of Orthanc. As the wizard falls to his death, he is impaled on the spikes of a wheel and the ''palantir f''alls from his cloak. Category:Wizards Category:Servants of Sauron Category:Servants of Evil Category:White Council Category:Black Council Category:Heren Istalion Category:Istari Category:Fallen Maiar Category:Friend of Men Category:Allies of the Dwarves Category:Traitors